TNTJ’s plea to stop handing over of public land to individual for commercial purposes

The Tamil Nadu Thowheedh Jamaath (TNTJ) has appealed to Collector Anand Mohan to stop attempts to handover public land in Melapalayam, which is being used as playground by locals, to an individual for commercial purposes.

In his petition, TNTJ district president Masood said that vacant land of Tirunelveli Corporation at Melapalayam was being used by locals, particularly students and other youth, as playground for the past several years. Instead of getting distracted by social media and other evils of modern society, the youth spent their evenings in a healthy way by playing football, volleyball and kabaddi on the ground.

Against this backdrop, the Corporation and Weavers Society, which jointly administered th land, planned to give lease it to an individual for commercial purposes. “Even though leasing out this land will certainly earn some money for the Corporation and Weavers Society, the urban local body should prioritise the healthy future of youths over revenue. Hence, the Collector should ask the Corporation and Weavers Society not to give the land on lease to anyone for commercial purposes and allow it to be used by locals as a playground,” Mr. Masood added.

In his petition, M. Sudalaimuthu, a farmer of Azhaganeri, sought the fitting of a shutter in the 54t^h sluice of Tirunelveli Channel in Tamirabharani Basin.

He said the farmers getting water for raising crops in their farms under Azhaganeri Periyakulam could not start agricultural operations due to absence of shutter in the 54t^h sluice of Tamirabharani Channel that released water to Periyakulam. Even though several petitions had been submitted with the Public Works Department and the Collector on July 10 and July 17, seeking the fitting of a shutter before the onset of the northeast monsoon, no step had been taken so far.

“Hence, the agriculturists of Azhaganeri appeal to the Collector to save farming under Azhagneri Periyakulam by fitting the shutter in the 54t^h sluice of Tirunelveli Channel,” said Mr. Sudalaimuthu.

A group of farmers from Iththikulam near Gangaikondan submitted a petition against steps being taken to erect a high tension power transmission tower inside the water body in their village. “If there is any untoward incident, the high tension power cables or the transmission tower may trigger a catastrophe. Hence, the Collector should instruct officials to find alternative sites for erecting the tower,” said K. Raja, a petitioner.

Another petition sought hiring of physically challenged persons for development works being implemented under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme.

As per norms, a differently-abled person should be included in the workforce for every 10 labourers hired under the scheme. Even though 60 workers had been hired for development works being implemented in Thiruppanikarisalkulam under the scheme, only one physically challenged person had been hired. Hence, differently abled persons should be given their due share under the scheme, the petition said.